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NEWBURYPORT (CBS) — Some north of Boston towns like Salisbury, Amesbury and Newburyport are known for their beautiful seaside scenery, but these towns have lately also been home to issues like fighting, graffiti and violent assaults.

A June stabbing that almost took a man’s life started this disturbing trend.

Now, Salisbury, Amesbury and Newburyport have come together to ask for a state grant to help improve police training, among other measures.

Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday says that while it’s difficult to identify who is committing the crimes, she believes it has not been Newburyport residents, but youths coming in from other towns and cities.